The Brightest Colour
by HecateA
Summary: Or: how she accidentally found the Big Bad Wolf without really trying. Remus and Tonks Little Red Riding Hood!AU, Oneshot.


**Author's Note: **What's a Little Red Riding Hood!AU, you may ask? I have no actual idea, but we're going to try something here to try and get some points in a comp. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warnings: **NA

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**Stacked with: **MC4A; Shipping War; Hogwarts

**Individual Challenge(s): **Rainbow Focus; Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Creature People; Seeds; No Need for Calendars; Old Shoes; Trope it Up B ("It's just superstitions/hogwash/tripe."); Trope it Up C (Mistaken Identity); True Colours, Rian-Russo Inversion; Short Jog; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon MC; Stolen Plot

**Word Count: **1411

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_**Shipping Wars**_

**Ship (Team): **Nymphadora Tonks / Remus Lupin

**List (Prompt): **Summer Micro 1 (Running/Jogging)

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**The Brightest Colour **

Until the moment that she turned around and cast a spell in his direction, Remus had been under the impression that he was a good, quiet tracker. He knew these woods like the back of his hand. Maybe better, actually, since he didn't lose track of the woods once a month. He knew where the best berries grew depending on the month, he had learned where to set his fishing nets and traps according to the animals' pattern, where to pick the herbs he needed for his potions and so on…

Anyways, apparently he was wrong because all of a sudden the woman he'd been following through the woods turned around and fired off a silent spell. He had no idea what she was firing off in his direction, but he hit the ground. A tree root knocked the breath right out of his throat.

"Who's there?" the woman called.

Remus stayed low, wand slipping out of his sleeve and into his hand.

She didn't move, looking at her surroundings. He saw her face now, peeking from below her red hood. Her eyes were sharp and analytical, surrounding the scene with a harshness mirrored in the set of her jaws. A splash of freckles danced across her cheeks and nose, and the tips of long blonde princess curls fell to her shoulders. Their golden colour was especially emphasized by the bright, bold red of her cloak and the plain black dress she wore underneath.

Remus debated what to do next. She could have bee any woman walking in the woods for any reason, but he'd never seen her in the woods which was odd, which in turn made _her _odd. That being said, she was a good shot. Maybe it would be safer, less trouble for him, to let her pass by and…

"Show yourself," she said. "That's an order from an Auror."

Remus arched an eyebrow. An _Auror _in these parts of the woods?

He didn't like it.

He looked around and gauged his best exit route before shooting a stunning spell her way and darting off.

He heard her call some protective spell out and soon, she was rushing into the woods behind him. Apparently, being on unfamiliar terrain was of no concern to her—she kept up with him surprisingly (and _unfortunately) _well.

She cast a spell to try and stun him and he dodged, firing blindly over his shoulder. It didn't seem to slow her down either.

He just broke into a clearing when her spell hit him square in the shoulder and he fell onto the ground, rolling twice before coming to a stop, facing the sky. He couldn't believe she'd caught him.

She leaned over him now after picking up his wand.

"Who are you?" she asked. He couldn't believe it was true, but he saw it now: an Auror badge, shiny and bronze, hanging around her neck. "The spell won't affect your facial muscles, you can talk."

"My name is Remus John Lupin," he said.

"What brings you to these woods?" she asked again. "This is a highly regulated and protected zone."

"I… ah… what are _you _doing here?" Remus asked.

"I'm on Auror Department mission, that shouldn't concern you," she said. "State your business."

"I live here," he said.

"You… nobody lives in these woods," the Auror said, shaking her head. "Nobody but the Mad Minister."

"Well if a madwoman can do it, surely there's a trick to it if one gets creative enough," Remus said. The Mad Minister had deserted the Wizarding World after fifty years in office which, Remus reckoned, could drive anybody mad. She'd made sure to run away to a place where very few people would come looking.

"These woods are so densely populated by magical creatures of all sorts," she said. "The Wolf alone should be enough to keep people out."

"The Big Bad Wolf, yes," Remus said. He couldn't help but smile.

"It's earned that name," the Auror said.

"Of course," Remus said. "I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I should point out though that if you're so afraid of being spotted by magical creatures and monsters, you shouldn't be wearing the brightest colour possible."

She ran her fingers down her red cloak, self-consciously. He noticed that as she'd chased him through the woods, her dress had changed to a pair of trousers that hugged her waist and then dropped down. She tucked them in a pair of leather riding boots that had clearly walked their fair share of miles. The black blouse she wore, buttoned from sternum down, was tucked in neatly and the fabric looked smooth.

"It has protection charms women into it," she explained. She pushed the hood back. "The department pushed it on me. You, however, are rather unafraid to be in these woods. What brings you to live here?"

"The Wolf," Remus answered with a smile. He didn't have to let her in on the secret just yet; that there was no Big Bad Wolf, just a lone werewolf looking for some peace and quiet and riding on the coattails of folklore and superstition to secure it.

"Don't tell me you're one of those Magizoologists," she sighed. "Honestly, I love you lot—my best friend snuggles up to dragons for a living—but getting you out of trouble all the time is exhausting…"

"No, we get along, him and I. Now that we're somewhere nice and quiet," Remus said. "Anyways, you said you were here from the Auror Department? What business do they have in these lawless, dangerous woods? Nothing of interest to you here aside from… the Mad Minister, I suppose."

The Auror shook her curls back.

"She has been unresponsive as of late," the Auror said.

"I would have thought that was to be expected from someone with such a name."

"Well, we do send her provisions. Keep an eye on her. The Auror Department has its ways," she said. "We worry she has fallen ill."

"She is quite an old woman," Remus nodded. "However, you were going the wrong way if she was the one you were looking for."

The Auror frowned and reached for a rolled-up piece of parchment tucked into her belt.

"Our information said…"

"Oh," Remus said. "I am sure it does. Her house _must _have been that way, once upon a time. But the woods decide to up-and-change sometimes."

"That… I can't say I'm surprised, actually, after everything I've seen here," she said. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Remus must have looked as surprised as she felt when parts of it became pink under her fingers, because she grinned at him.

"It's usually pink," she explained. "I'm trying not to clash right now, but it's putting up a fuss."

"I see," he said. "That's a neat trick."

"Thank you," she said. "So is knowing these woods so well that you can track the homes of hermits, which I suppose you can?"

"I can bring you to where I _last _saw the Mad Minister's house," Remus offered, regretting the words immediately. He would need at least a few hours to gather his things and prepare supplies for the journey, and the Full Moon was only three days away which, if something went wrong... "I can't promise it's there," he said, trying to rewind the clock on his offer. "Really, you might waste your time with me."

"Even then, that would be better than my current plan."

"Which is?"

"Walk around in circles, hope for the best, and try not to get eaten," she smiled. "And, conveniently, at least I will have company this way."

"You have that magic cloak," Remus said. "Surely you would not get eaten."

"I told you," she said. "I have heard things. I've read files about what the beasts in this forest, Wolf and others, have done."

"Right," he said.

"How about this," she offered. "I will lift the spell on you. I will give you back your hand. This, after you swear an unbreakable oath to do what is in your power, and use the best of your abilities, to get me to the old woman's house. I will even throw in a pardon for attempting to jinx an Auror which, as I am sure you know, is very frowned upon."

"Very, yes," Remus said.

What she didn't know, what most people didn't most likely, was that unbreakable vows did not work on werewolves.

Oh, this adventure should be fun.


End file.
